Balancing device for brake-heads.



T. L. BURTON.

BALANCING DEVICE FOR BRAKE HEADS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. 1916.

1,199,872. Patented Oct. 3,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lo t I g I T. L. BURTON.

BALANCING DEVICE FOR BRAKE HEADS APPLICATION mp0 MAIL 191s.

Patented 00t. 3,1916.-

ZSHEETS-SREET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v x 1 rnomns'nnuntron, of sin. Louis, mssonm, ASSIGNOR 'ro :rmaAmnmcnnnnaxn v contrasts, or sun LOUIS, mssoonx, A conronnrron ormrssoum,

7 T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,;TH0MAs L. BURTON, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,

5 have. invented a certain new and useful Implrovement in BalancingDevices for Brakeeads, of which improvement thefollowing is aspecification.

This invention relates to brake heads and hangers, and has for itsobject to provide improved connecting means whereby the brakev head willbe automatically adjusted upon its pivot to such position that the shoeis concentric with the wheel when applied thereto, and adapted to turnupon 1ts pivot a certain amount relative to the hanger when releasing,and thus be maintained substantially concentric with the wheel at alltimes.

In the operation of railway brake shoes it is important that whenreleased, all parts of the shoe and brake head shall be prevented fromcoming into contact with the wheels in order to prevent undesirablewear, loss of power and injury'to'the parts. This is accomplished in mypresent improvement by maintaining the brake shoe substantiallyconcentric with the wheel when the brake, shoe is released and swings aslight distance away from the wheel. At the same time the shoes areadapted to adjust themselves through a frictional. engagement whenbrought into contact with the wheel, and. thereby shift their positionsufiiciently tov compensate for thewear of the shoe and wheel andmaintain the concentric relation with the wheel throughout the life ofthe shoe.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brakehead and hanger 40 embodying my improvement; the'partsbe-' ing indicatedin the release position; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the parts in theapplied position; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section taken throughthe pivot connection; Fig. 4, a similar section showing a modification;Fig. 5, a side elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing anothermodification, the parts being indicated with an unworn shoe in theapplied position; Fig. 6, a similar view with the parts in releaseposition; Fig. 7, a similar view, with the parts in the applied positionafter the shoe and wheel BALANCING DEVICE FOR BRAKE-HEADS.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

I Application filed March 4, 1916 Serial No;82,088;

Patented'Oct. 3,1916.

have become worn; and Fig. 8, a transverse vertical section of themodification shown in Figs 5,. 6 and 7. I

As shown in Figs. 1, 2jand ,3, the brake head, -1, carrying the shoe,-2, is pivotally mountednn the hanger, 3, by means of a pin or bolt, 4,passing through the two flanges of the brake head. According to mypresent improvement, a friction member such as the arm, 7, is pivotallymounted, preferably on the bolt, 4, and is adapted to have frictionalengagement, directly or indirectly, with one of the parts such as thehanger, 3, and have a spring connection with the other part,

such as the brake head, 1. As shown, the brake head flanges are providedwith openings in which are mounted the longitudi-' nally movablebushings, 5 and 5, on the connectmg bolt, 4, the arm, 7 havingfrictional engagement directly with the bushing, 5,

of the pressure produced by the clamping nut, 8, and spring washers, 6,on the bolt.

The arm, 7, thus has frictional connection turn on its pivot relative.to the hanger during the releasing action and thereby compensate for theswinging of the hanger on its support, and thus maintain the brake, shoesu stantially concentric with the wheel. At one extreme of this limitedmovement the stop lug,'10, on the brake head bears against the upper endof the arm, 7, while at the other extreme the lug, 11, engages the lowerend of said arm, the connecting spring, 9, being arranged to normallytend to swing the brake head to the position in which the lug, 10,engages the upper end of the arm, as in the release position shown inF1g. 1. Any suitable form of spring or yielding resistance means may beemployed for this purpose. As shown in Fig. 4, the

coiled spring, 9, is located on the bolt, 4,

between the arm, 7, and the washer, 8 and the respective ends of thespring are extended to engage the lug, 11, and the lower which bearsagainst the hanger, 3, by means If "preferred, the bushing frictionarm,-

the-functions of both springs 6 and 9, of

Figs. 1, 2 and a When the brake shoe his, t e brakes, th'e'lug, 11,presses against the ower end ofgthe friction arm, 7, withsufiicientforce to: overcome the friction between, the

forced against the wheel inapplyin arm, 7, and the hanger,- and shiftthe arm to.

'- the. wheel.

such position as may be necessary toallow,

the hanger then begins to. swing away "from the wheel, the spring, 9,expands andlt u'rns the brake head upon itspivot' on-the -hanger* untilthe lug, 10, engages the'upper end-of for the swinging movement io f thehanger so that in the normal release "position", the; brake shoe"remains substantially concentric with the wheel as indicatedFig. 1. Thisabsolutely prevents" the shoe from coming into contact with thewheelfiwhe'n released," and also allows forashorter swinging movement ofthe hangersin applying and releassary to bring the shoe against: thewheel serves to shift the friction arm as before de scribed.

In the modification show'n in F to 8 the frictional bushings, springwashers, and clamping nut, on the bolt are eliminated, and thefrictional engagement between the arm, 7, and the hanger is obtained bymeans of the pin, 12, mounted in the lower part of the hanger andextending through a slotted opening, 16, in an extension, 13, at thelower end of the arm, the spring Washer, 14, and clamping nut, 15,serving to press the frictional surfaces of the arm and the hangertogether. Otherwise the construction is similar to that beforedescribed. When the unworn shoe is first attached to the brake head, thefriction arm is turned to such position relative to the hanger that thepin, 12, is at the initial end of the slot, 16, as shown in Figs. 5 and6. Then as the shoe and wheel, wear down, the brake head presses at 17against the friction arm, 7, when the shoe is forced against the wheel,and the arm is thereby turned a little at a time until the shoe isnearly worn out, and the pin, 12, will have reached a position at theopposite end of the slot, 16, as indicated in Fig. 7. During allpositions of the friction arm relative to the hanger, however, thespring. 9, operates to swing the brake head relative to the hanger ateach releasing movement of the brake shoes, and thereby maintain thesame substantially concentric with the wheels throughout the life of theshoes.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 8,

- Having now described my invention, what I laimas 119w, i t secure LN}ters P tent y I 1. Thecombination "of: brake hanger, a

:brake head; pivotally connected thereto, a friction member havingfrictional engagethe shoe to take a position concentric with? Durin thismovement, thef' j spring, 9, is stresse a .certain .amount,- andjf soremains'nntil the brake-is released. As

ment -;tendi jigto prevent-movement relative to the'liangen-when thebrake is released.

relative to the hanger.

3. The omb ination offal brake hanger, a

ber whenthe-shoe' is applied to the wheel,

and a stop'-to, 'limit the movement of. the brake head relativelto thehanger when the brake is released.

' 4. The combination 'ofa brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head'pivotallymountedtherm on, a friction member also pivoted on said 2.1}"1fhe;:co,I'nhinat'ion ofia br'ake hanger, a -,brakef'h'ead-pivotallyconnected thereto, a rricion-;{meinber. having frictional engage mentjtending toj preventmovement relative the. arm, 7. Thismovementcompensatesf tothe hanger, aspri'ng between said friction memberand the'brake head,.and'a stop for flimiting -jthe imovement of thebrake head brake; head pivotally connected thereto, a f-friction memberhaving frictional enga ement tending i to prevent movement relative tothe hanger, fa spring between said friction ing brakes. As the shoes andwheels '-wear,f the further movement of the'hanger necesbolt and havinga frictional engagement with the hanger, and a. spring between saidfriction member and the brake head for producing a limited movement ofthe brake head relative to the hanger when the brake is released.

5. The combination of a brake hanger, a

bolt, a brake head pivotally mounted thereon, a friction member alsopivoted on said bolt and having a frictional engagement with the hanger,said brake head having means for engaging said friction member when theshoe is applied to the wheel, a spring acting between said frictionmemher and the brake head for producing a movement of the brake headrelative to the hanger when the brake is released, and a stop to limitsaid movement.

6. The combination of a brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head pivotallymounted thereon, a friction arm also pivoted on said bolt and having afriction surface at one end engaging the hanger, means for exerting apressure on said friction surface, and means for producing a limitedmovement of the brake head relative to the hanger when the brake isreleased.

7. The combination of a brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head pivotallymounted thereon, a friction arm also pivoted on said bolt 1jmtheihangergand meansjorproducing a] 7 flimitedgmovement of the brakehead relative I and having a friction surface at one end engaging thehanger, means for exerting a pressure on said friction surface, a springacting between said friction arm and the brake head for producing amovement of the brake head relative to the hanger when the brake isreleased, and a stop for limiting said movement.

8 The combination of a brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head pivotallymounted thereon, a friction arm also pivoted on said bolt and havin afriction surface at one end engaging t e hanger, means for exerting a apressure on said friction surface, said brake head having means forengaging said friction arm when the shoe is applied to the wheel, aspring acting between said friction arm and the brake head for producinga movement of the brake head relative to the hanger when the brake isreleased, and a stop for limiting said movement.

9. The combination of a brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head pivotallymounted thereon, a friction arm also pivoted on said bolt and having anextension engaging the hanger and provided with a slotted opening, a pinon said hanger extending through said slot and having a clamping nut,and means fol-producing a limited movement of the brake head relative tothe hanger when the brake is released.

10. The combination of. a brake hanger, a bolt, a brake head pivotallymounted thereon, a friction arm also pivoted on said bolt and having anextension engaging the hanger and provided with a slotted opening, a pinon said hanger extending through said slotand having a clamping nut,said brake my hand.

THOMAS L. BURTON.

